War War II memorial lands state money

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Money from the recently approved state capital bill will make one veteran's dream of a World War II memorial in central Illinois come true.

State Rep. Bill Mitchell has announced the planned memorial at Decatur's Scovill Park will get $250,000. That should pay the project's total cost.

A World War II veteran who died last year came up with the idea five years ago.

E.E. "Pete" Nicholls and a Vietnam War veteran did research to find World War II casualties from Macon County. Around 300 names will go on the memorial.

Nicholls' widow, Betty, says the grant announcement - which coincided with the 65th anniversary of D-Day - was wonderful news. If his father were still alive, Nicholls' son, Peter, says he'd be "dancing in the streets."